The fair majeutic paradise of Stowe !*

10-10 Not Persian Cyrus on lonia's shore Eer saw such silvan scenes; such various art By genius fired, such ardent genius tamed By cool judicious art; that, in the strife All-beauteous Nature fears to be undone

1045
And there, O Pitt, thy country's early boast,
There let re sit beneath the shelter'd slopes,
Or in that Temp'et where, in future times,
Thou well shalt merit a distinguish' name;
And, with thy converse bless'd, catch the last smiles
Of Autumn beaming o'er the yellow woods. 1051
While there with thee the enchanted round I walk,
The regulated wild, gay Fancy then
Will tread in thought the groves of attic land ;
Will from thy standard taste refine her own, 1055
Correct her pencil to the purest truth
Of Nature, or, the unimpassion'd shades
Forsaking, raise it to the human mind.
Or if hereafter she, with juster hand,
Shall dra.v the tragic scene, instruct her, thou, 1060
To mark the varied movements of the heart,
What every decent character requires,
And every passion speaks: 0, through her strain
Breathe thy pathetic eloquence! that moulds
'The'attentive senate, charms, persuades, exalts, 1065
or honest Zeal the' indignant lightning throws,
And shakes Corruption on her venal throne.
While thus we talk, and through Elysian vales
Delighted rove, perhaps a sigh escapes
What pity, Cobham, thou thy verdant files 1070
Of order'd trees shouldst here inglorious range,
Instead of squadrons faming o'er the field,
And long ombattled hosts! when the proud foe,
The faithless vain disturber of mankind,

The seat of Lord Coplam.
i The Temple of Virtue in Stowe Gardens,

Insulting Gaul, has roused the world to war; 1075
When kecn, once more, within their bounds to press
Those polish'd robbers, those ambitious slaves,
The British youth would hail thy wise command,
Thy temper'd ardour, and thy veteran skill.

The western sun withdraws the shorten’d day ;
And humid Evening, gliding o'er the sky, 1081
Jo her chill progress, to the ground condensed
'i'he vapours throws. Where crcepir.g waters ouzc,
Where marshes stagnate, and where rivers wina,
Cluster the rolling fogs, and swim along 1085
The dusky mantled lawn. Meanwhile the Moon
Full-orb’d, and breaking through the scatter'd clouds,
Shows her broad visage in the crimson east.
Turn'd to the sun direct, her spotted disk,
Where inountains rise, umbrageous dales descend,
And caverns deep, as optic tube descries, 1091
Å smaller earth, gives us his blaze again,
Void of its flame, and sheds a softer day.
Now through the passing cloud she seems to stoop,
Now

up
the
pure cerulean rides sublime.

1095
Wide the pale deluge floats, and streaming mild
U'er the skied mountain to the shadowy vale,
While rocks and floods reflect the quivering gleam,
The whole air whitens with a boundless tide
Of silver radiance, trembling round the world. 1100

But when, half blotted from the sky, hier light, Fainting, permits the starry fires to burn With keener lustre through the depth of heaven; Or near extinct her deaden'd orb appears, And scarce appears, of sickly beanless white; 1105 Ont in this season, silent from the north A blaze of meteors shoots; ensweeping first The lower skies, they all at once converge High to the crown of heaven, and all at once Relapsing quick, as quickly reascend,

1110 And mix and thivart, extinguish and renew, All ether coursing in a maze of light.

From louk to look, contagious through the crowd, The panic runo, and into wondrous shapes The' appearance throws: armies in meet array, 1115 Throng 'd with aerial spears and steeds of fire, Till the long lines of full extended war Ir. bleeding fight commix'd, the sanguine flood Rolls a broad slaughter o'er the plains of heaven. As thus they scan the visionary scene,

1120 On all sides swells the superstitious din, Incontinent; and busy frenzy talks Of blood and battle ; citiesoverturn'd, And late at night in swallowing earthquake sunk, Os hideous wrapp'd in fierce ascending flame; 1125 Of sallow famine, inundation, storm : Of pestilence, and every great distress; Empires subversed, when ruling fate has struck The' unalterable hour : e'en Nature's self Is deem'd to totter on the brink of time.

1130 Not so the man of philosophic eye, And inspect sage; the waving brightness he Curious surveys, inquisitive to know The causes and materials, yet unfix'd, Of this appearance beautiful and new.

1135 Now black and deep the night begins to fall, A shade immense. Sunk in the quenching gloom, Magnificent and vast, are heaven and earth. Order confounded lies; all beauty void ; Distinction lost; and gay variety

1140 One universal blot: such the fair power Of light, to kindle and create the whole. Drear is the state of the benighted wretch, Who then, bewilderd, wanders through the dark, Full of palo fancies and chimeras huge ; 1145 Nor visited by one directive ray, From cottage streaming or from airy hall. Perhaps impatient as he stumbles on, Struck from the root of slimy rushes, blue, 'The wildfire scatters round, or gather'd trails 1150

A length of fame deceitful o'er the moss :
Whither decoy'd by the fantastic blaze,
Now lost and now renew'd, he sinks absorb'd,
River and horse, amid the miry gulf :
Wnile still, from day to day, his pining wife 1155
And plaintive children his return await,
In wild conjecture lost. At other times,
Sent by the better genius of the night,
Innoxious, gleaming on the horse's mane,
The meteor sits; and shows the narrow path, 1160
That winding leads through pits of death, or else
Instructs him how to take the dangerous ford.

The lengthen'd night elapsed, the Morning shines
Serene, in all her dewy beauty bright,
Unfolding fair the last autumnal day.

1165 And now the mounting sun dispels the fog ; The rigid hoar-frost melts before his beam; And hung on every spray, on every blade Of grass, the myriad dew-drops twinkle round. 1169

Ah, see where, robb’d and murder'd, in that pit Lies the still leaving hive ! at evening snatch'd, Beneath the cloud of guilt-concealing night, And fix'd o'er sulphur: while, not dreaming ill, The happy people, in their waxen cells, Sat tending public cares, and planning schemes 1175 Of temperance, for Winter poor ; rejoiced To mark, full flowing round, their copious stores. Sudden the dark oppressive steam ascends; And, used to milder scents, the tender race, By thousands, tumble from their honied domes, 1180 Convolved, and agonizing in the dust. And was it then for this you rcau'd the Spring, Intent from flower to flower ? for this you toil'd Ceaseless the burning Summer heats away? For this in Autumn search'd the blooming waste, Nor lost ono sunny gleain? for this sad fate? 1186 O Man! tyrannic lord! how long how long Shall prostrate Nature groan beneath your rage,

Awaiting renovation ? when obliged,
Must you destroy? of their ambrosial food 1190
Can you not borrow; and, in just return
Afford then shelter from the wintry winds;
Or, as the sharp year pinches, with their own
Again regale them on some smiling day?
See where the stony bottom of their town 1193
Looks desolate and wild ; with here and there
A helpless number, who the ruin'd state
Survive, lamenting weak, cast out to death.
Thus a proud city, populous and rich,
Full of the works of peace, and high in joy,

1200 At theatre cr feast, or sunk in sleep, (As late, Palermo, was thy fate) is seized By some dread earthquake, and convulsive hurld Sheer from the black foundation, stench-involved, Into a gulf of blue sulphureous flame.

1205 Hence every harsher sight! for now the day, O'er heaven and earth diffused, grows warm and high, Infinite splendour! wide investing all. How still the breeze! savo what the filmy threads Of dew evaporate brushes from the plain. 1210 Hyw clear the cloudless sky! how deeply tinged With a peculiar blue! the etherial arch How swe'l'd immense! amid whose azure throned The radiant sun how gay! how calm below The gilded carth! the harvest treasures all 1215 Now gather'd in, beyond the rage of storins, Sure to the swain; the circling fence shut up; And instant Winter's utmost rage defied. Vhile, loose to festive joy, the country round Laughs with the loud sincerity of mirth, 1220 Shook to the wind their cares. The toil-strung youth, By the quick sense of music taught alone, Leaps wildly graceful in the lively dance. Hor every charm abroad, the village-toast, Young, buxom, warm, in native beauty rich, 1225 Darts not unmeaning looks; and where her eye